The present invention relates, in general, to a sensor assembly for determining the temperature state in an area of a heating surface.
Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art.
In typical electric stoves, particularly those having a ceramic cooktop, an electromechanical protective temperature limiter is provided per heater to limit it to the maximum temperature. If the cooking platform is controlled using an electronic system, a substitution of the mechanical temperature limiter by electronic temperature sensors is possible, since the necessary circuit breaker (relay) is already provided. In the electronic control units used, a sensor is frequently also positioned in the region of the electronics of an electric stove.
Conventional temperature sensors are insufficient to provide a true representation of the temperature distribution underneath the heating surface. As a result, the electronic control circuits receive only incomplete data so that the heating surface can only controlled poorly, causing excessive amount of energy to be unnecessarily converted into heat.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved sensor assembly to obviate prior art shortcomings and to allow precise temperature control of a heating surface to thereby enhance efficiency and lower energy consumption.